The absolute cheapest was the annual fare in Prague in the history of the independent Czech Republic in 1993. The annual tram ticket then cost 1700 crowns. At that time, people could buy 41 such tickets for an average annual salary.
In the following years, the price gradually increased. The turning point came in 2015, when the then management of the municipality, led by Adriana Krnáčová, decided to reduce the annual coupon by almost a quarter to the still valid 3,650 crowns. Suddenly, people were able to buy 87 coupons for an average annual salary.
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Even before this reduction, the annual fare in Prague’s public transport was relatively affordable. At the price of 4,750 crowns, it would be possible to buy 66 such tickets for an average salary, which is still half as much as in 1993. And if the annual fare in Prague really rises to the proposed 5,500 crowns, it will still be possible to buy 77 such coupons from the current average salary. Public transport in the capital would thus still remain more accessible than before the discount in 2015.
Development of prices of annual coupons in Prague public transport (in CZK):
Development of annual coupon prices in Prague public transport (in CZK)
Although the planned increase in fares in Prague is not dramatic, it goes against the efforts of many world cities, which, on the other hand, have recently become cheaper in the name of ecology or are introducing completely free public transport.
For registered residents, public transport has been free of charge since 2013, for example in Tallinn, Estonia. Public transport is free in several French cities, including Dunkirk. At the national level, Luxembourg introduced completely free public transport in March this year.
Cities that have favored public transport usually praise the results. A somewhat curious exception in this regard is the German Mannheim. Last year, the city announced a plan to promote public transport, which introduced more connections, reduced fares and introduced a system of subsidized tickets for regular passengers. In March this year, however, City Hall decided to end the project – the reason was the unexpectedly high interest of passengers, so Mannheim quickly exhausted the planned budget for subsidized coupons.
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I would like to ask for a comparison of wealth distribution in 1993 and 2019 in Prague. According to what I experience, there are many rich people up in the ranking now, while the essential majority keep earning around the average of year 2000s. If there are more foreign businesses moving to Prague who hire 150K +monthly salary earning to Prague, who do not really use public transportation, then the burden will be on the average earners if ticket prices are increased accordingly.